Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued new guidance titled “Duration of Isolation and Precautions for Adults with COVID-19.” The guidance is noteworthy for employers. Previously, the CDC had generally indicated that individuals could potentially return to work following a positive test after spending 14 days in isolation and being fever-free […]
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned SNFs against using antigen tests alone to determine if residents have COVID-19. While these tests can be used, they should always be followed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for positive results. This warning comes after the state of Nevada banned point-of-care antigen testing completely […]
A plethora of laboratories across the United States are rapidly producing COVID-19 tests, but a recent record check by CMS resulted in 171 cease and desist letters to labs, halting production of tests at labs without the proper qualifications. The record check found that those labs did not have up-to-date Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of […]
As some employees return from working remotely and others continue to work from their facility, there are many regulations and policies that managers and supervisors need to instate to ensure employee health and safety. New federal, state, and local health and safety requirements continue to evolve as companies remain laser-focused on providing a safe working environment for all. […]
After an abundance of COVID-19 related deaths at California SNFs, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law on September 29 changing the reporting requirements for disease-related deaths. The new law requires facilities to report disease-related fatalities to CA health officials within 24 hours during declared health emergencies, according to the Los Angeles Times. To date, COVID-19 […]
The federal government announced plans on September 28 to send an 18 million rapid COVID-19 tests to nursing homes from Abbott Laboratories. The deployment of these tests comes after CMS updated the requirements for staff testing in late-August, requiring routine testing of staff based on community spread. In addition to the 18 million allotted for […]
The Home Health COVID-19 PR Tip Sheet assists providers so that they can understand CMS’ public reporting strategy for the PAC QRP during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Included in the tip sheet is the strategy CMS uses to account for its quality data, which has been exempted from public reporting due to the […]
Humboldt House Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a nursing home in Buffalo, NY, was hit with a $50,000 fine, the largest single fine imposed by the state Health Department, for infection control violations, according to The Buffalo News. The fine stemmed from an inspection in April, during which the inspector observed: COVID-19 positive residents rooming with […]
CMS issued updated SNF visitation guidance on September 17. The new guidance lays out a plan addressing when and how SNFs should begin allowing visitors in their facility again, based on community spread and resident health. While outdoor visits are still preferred, SNFs will be able to resume in-facility visits if there have been no […]
Unionized nursing homes in New York state saw lower COVID-19 mortality rates, as well as better access to PPE during the pandemic, according to a September 10 study in the journal Health Affairs. “Unions generally demand high staff-to-patient ratios, paid sick leave, and higher wage and benefit levels that reduce staff turnover,” stated researchers in […]